As teenagers and young adults, we all naturally gravitate towards action-packed stories filled with sci-fi and fiction. And what better way to satisfy that little adrenaline bug than by reading a fantasy novel like The Maze Runner or Percy Jackson?
While reading the book may temporarily fill that fantasy-shaped hole in our hearts, a film adaptation provides an opportunity to actually witness the events unfolding on screen, expanding beyond the limits of our imagination. So, when fans learned that Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson would finally receive an adaptation, everyone cheerfully jumped on board with the idea.
That is, until they were met with a subpar adaptation and a mere two-film series. Everyone was hoping to see the next dystopian world come to life, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Here’s why that happened.
Why are there only two Percy Jackson movies?
Sadly, the franchise was set up to fail, and there are a few reasons why a sequel was never released. While the films weren’t necessarily box office busts, Riordan has always opened up about his disappointment regarding the adaptation of his books, admitting to Entertainment Weekly that he had little creative control on set, and the films even went as far as removing five main characters.
“I certainly have nothing against the very talented actors. Not their fault. I’m just sorry they got dragged into that mess. To you guys, it’s a couple of hours’ entertainment. To me, it’s my life’s work going through a meat grinder, when I pleaded with them not to do it.”
Riordan’s disapproval was also shared by the audience of fans who noticed all the unnecessary changes made to the plot. In general, the audience became so unhappy with the discrepancies that 20th Century Fox ultimately decided to scrap the franchise altogether after the second movie hit theaters.
Apart from the lackluster response from fans and even the author, the company acknowledged that if the films were to continue, there would likely be a significant disparity between the money invested and the money received. However, the films did earn the reputation that, even if they weren’t good adaptations, they were a decent standalone series but unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to keep the production afloat.
Good news comes to those who wait, however. Even though Chris Columbus’ franchise might have lost its battle with the box office, Disney Plus has announced an upcoming series adaptation entitled Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The company seems to have learned from mistakes made in the past, and with great excitement, the eight-episode first season is expected to premiere sometime in 2024.